On song Frenchman a Real Champion

Karim Benzema produced one of his finest displays of the season on Saturday against Athletic de Bilbao – scoring two goals – and just four days later he did not disappoint in what seems to be his favourite competition, the Champions League.

The Frenchman scored the opening goal for Real Madrid away to Manchester City after he turned in Ángel Di María’s pin-point cross from the right wing. The goal was the striker's third of the season in the competition, after goals against City at the Bernabéu and Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena.

Looking at the stats, Benzema's goal ratio speaks for itself in European football: his goal tonight at the Etihad takes him up to an impressive 29 in total in the tournament. On the downside, the Frenchman picked up an ankle injury after a tough tackle by David Silva. José Mourinho was forced to substitute the forward – after the sending off of Álvaro Arbeloa – as the striker seemed to be in pain.